Point taken, but note that I did use the plural. Many nations in Africa or South America have been/are in what may someday be considered Dark Ages. Hell, Iraq and Afghanistan might be too. I don't think my statement particularly ignored anything. Perhaps I should elaborate on my fairly flip comment. The gist of what I was thinking about was, what will it take for the metaphorical Visigoths or Vandals to sack "Rome?" Let's say that the Orwellian future Assange envisions at the hands of Google or another entity really does happen. What will be the last straw? It seems like the very idea of revolution is losing power. So what will it take for the next dramatic shift in circumstances? What will it take for people en masse to react, particularly if an entity takes steps to understand and manage revolutions or uprisings?